Heater and meter connection.



Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

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Uni s'ra'rn DAVID ROBERT YARNALL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO YARNALL-WARING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

HEATER AND METER CONNECTION.

Continuation in part of application Serial No. 689,144, filed April 8, 1912.

1914. Serial No. 850,386.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DAVID Bonner YAR- NALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at 316 Preston street, Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Heater and Meter Connection, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of my invention is to provide for pressure equalization between the steam space of a closed heater and the steam space of a gravity meter Within which the heater is preferably located, checking counter flow where a vacuum in the heater is probable.

A further purpose of my invention is to provide for return of the water of condensation in a closed heater to a meter in connection with which the heating takes place.

A further purpose of my invention is to utilize steam pressure within a closed heater, preferably located in a meter, for discharge of water of condensation from the heater through a steam trap and into the meter.

I have preferred to illustrate myinvention by but two forms among the many practical forms by which my invention evidently might be well illustrated, selecting these forms from among those in which the heater is contained within the meter.

Figure 1 is a partly broken side elevation showing one form of my'invention. Fig. 2 is a corresponding view of a second form of my invention.

Similar numerals of reference in the drawings indicate like parts.

This application is in part a continuation, through my application Serial No. 730,125, filed November 8, 1912, of the subject mat ter of my U. S. Patent No. 1,064,806 issued June 17, 1913 for water meter control. The illustration in Fig. 1 of the present application is founded upon the illustration of this patent but differs somewhat from it.

In Fig. 1 I illustrate a metal tank 1, which may be provided with a thermostatic valve 2 and vacuum break valve 3 for the purposes, respectively, of exhausting the space within the receiving and storage or catch basin compartments 4 and 5 of air when the pressure within the meter casing exceeds atmospheric pressure and preventing vacuum within the chambers so as in either event to benefit from pressure conditions .therc.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

This application filed July 11,

I have preferred to illustrate not only a gravity meter, but a meter of the weir type, whose chambers are in full communication for exchange of pressure, gas and vapor. I also illustrate one suitable measuring construction including a float chamber 6, preferably within the meter casing. It contains a float7, which, through rod 8, operates any suitable recorder or integrator within casing 9. One form of such a device is fully disclosed in U. S. patent to Lea 815,102.

The water is introduced'to the float chamber through a screened opening 10 controlled by valve 11, through handle 12. The bottom of the weir opening 13 and the zero point 14 are both at the same level as a sight opening 15. The baffle plate 16 frees the main body of the water from disturbances due to the intake.

I show the intake water as admitted through a connection capable of hand closure by valve 17 and containing automatic control valve 18 by which the flow of water by the normally closed automatic valve 22.

The control of the main inlet valve 18 and make-up water valve 22 is efiected through a float operated rod (similar to the float 24 and rod 25 shown in Fig. 2) oscillating a rod 26. The rod 26 enters a pocket 27 at one end and carries a pair of arms 28 and 29 which act upon the intake and make-up water valves through adjustable members'30 and 31. The same rod26 carries an arm 32 which moves a stem33 to control a valve in steam pipe 34 feedingpump 86. The pump 36 feeds the boiler from the meter catch basin through a pipe 37 in which I have placed a hand valve 38. A by-pass 39 is also provided for use in case of meter repairs. It contains a hand valve 40. The automatic control thus provided is illustrated and described at more length in my patent above referred to and secures great uniformity of flow with protection against flooding of the weir and excessive lowering of the catch basin water level.

It will be evident that I provide for pump operation substantially in proportion to the evaporation at the boiler, since I determine the pump operation by the mean return from the heating system. The make-up water applied is small and will ordinarily not be applied at the meter except where the heater is contained within the meter.

I have shown a water gage glass 41 extending above the designed upper water limit. Notwithstanding that the automatic flow control of the main inlet and make-up water supply and the pump withdrawal from the catcli basin very fully protect against flooding of the weir or excessive filling of the catch basin in any type of gravity meter, submerged orifice or otherwise, derangement of this automatic control might make additional protection desirable and for this purpose I have supplied a U-tube overflow connecting at 42, comprising legs 43 and 44 venting through pipe 45. This tube normally contains water which will fill both legs of the U-tube to the height of the connection at 42 if there be only atmospheric pressure within the meter casing. However, when the pressure there exceeds the atmospheric pressure the water in the leg 43 will be depressed until the difference in height in the two legs corresponds with the pressure. I have shown the opening of pipe 45 as higher than the inlet to provide for any anticipated pressure in the tank. When the meter regulation is properly operative, the U-tube is of value-as a yielding and automatically resetting safety valve merely. The use of such a tube is suggested as a measure of excessive caution only. It would be omitted where the pressure intended Within the meter casing complicates by reason of difficulty in maintaining a corresponding difference in water height in the legs.

I contemplate using my meter in connection with a closed feed Water heater and venting the closed space of the heater into the meter casing, which may be done either above or below the meter water level. In my preferred form the closed heater is embodied within one of the meter chambers. There are various advantages in selecting the catch basin chamber for the location of the heater when it is placed in the meter. It is nearer to the pump and the Water will thus have less opportunity for cooling after it has been heated. With the extension of the catch basin beneath the receiving chamber, the catch basin is much longer and may conveniently be given a greater depth than the receiving chamber. The catch basin space is free from interruption whereas the receiving chamber ordinarily is not. I have,

therefore, illustrated the closed heater as within the catch basin and entering the extension 46 of the catch basin beneath the receiving chamber giving sulficient storage of water in this way without requiring excessive floor space and also improving the thermal conditions by reducing the external cooling surface and utilizing any loss of heat through the under wall of the meter receiving chamber to heat the water in the receiving chamber.

The particular form of closed heater which I have illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a series of steam pipes 47 extended from end to end of the casing and connecting at opposite ends with headers 48, 49. I supply preferably exhaust steam to these pipes through one header, as by pipe 50 and withdraw the steam from the other header as by pipe 51. I have considered the further detail of the steam system as unnecessary since it would be the same as for any separate closed feed water heater.

In order to insure circulation within the heater portion of the meter, I have provided a longitudinal baflie plate 52, so that the water must pass from the right end in the view, above the baffle plate 52 around the left end of the plate, to the right end in the view again below the bafiie plate where discharge of the storage water takes place.

Assuming that the pressure within the steam space of the Water heater shown will normally exceed the pressure within the meter casing, except for the venting which I herein indicate, I have provided for delivery of the water of condensation and any steam required for equalization of the pressures, from the closed feed Water heater to the receiving and measuring compartment of the meter by reason of this difference in pressure.

I connect one of the headers as at 53, where the water of condensation would settle, with the receiving compartment of the meter, either below or above the water level as desired, by piping shown at 54 and 55, through check valve 56 against water return where the connection is to be made below the water level in the receiving chamber and through the pipe 57 where the user prefers to make this connection above the water level. In this second case also the check valve would be useful. Hand valves shown, permit either of these connections through pipe 55 or 57 to be used at will and to permit a pump or trap 58 to be introduced within the Water circuit where it is not desirable to utilize the steam pressure to return the water of condensation. When water of condensation lies in the pipes any excessive pressure in the header must first drive the water before it before any steam can pass.

In Fig. 1 I have shown the Water level in the catch basin above the level. of the bottom of the receiving chamber. While I prefer to maintain the water level below the level of the bottom of the receiving chamber in order that the fluctuation of the catch basin water level may be relatively small and that the measurement curve as defined by the readings of the mechanism within casing 9 may be steadied and may more readily be summed by a planimeter where a card is formed, the condition shown in Fig. 1 is one which could occur at intervals in any installation which did not pro vide complete storage between the normal catch basin water level and the bottom of the weir for all of the water in the weir chamber above the weir after the inlet valve is closed. lVhere a sensitive control of main and make-up water inlet and pump withdrawal is desired the normal catch basin water level would be arranged at some such point as shown in Fig. 1, so as to avoid reduction of catch basin water level below' the bottom of the receiving chamber.

In Fig. 2 it will be noted that I show a slightly different form of meter casing and slightly different forms of the meter and heater parts which, where they difi'er appreciably, have been given numbers diifering from those of Fig. 1 in the use of primes. The make-up water control is not illustrated and it does not show the baflle plate between the heater tubes The thermostatic and vacuum break valves are not shown in Fig. 2 because the part of the structure upon which they are located is broken away. The U tube, a special feature only, is not intended to be used in this construction. The pipe 55 is omitted and the pump 59 is here illustrated where, as in Fig. 1, either the trap 58 or the pump could be used. In Fig. 2 the pump would be preferred where the vent 60 from the upper part 61 of the closed heater is provided to the meter chamber, since the equalization of pressures provided by the vent 60 would interfere with steam pres sure return of the water of condensation. In this form shown in Fig. 2, I show a greater depth of the catch basin in the space 46 below the bottom of the receiving chamber for two purposes: First, I desire not only to maintain the average water level in the catch basin below the bottom of the weir chamber, but also to leave room for any overflow from the weir chamber after the main valve 18 is closed, so that the height of the water in the catch basin can not possibly reach the bottom of the weir chamber; and, second, I provide for two banks of heater tubes.

In Fig. 2 I have shown the water level well below the bottom of the weir chamber, insuring that the rate of rise of water in the catch basin shall be uniform for the same quantity of flow at all times. This second form of my.invention, Fig. 2, is characterized by a connection between the upper part or steam space of the closed feed water heater and the steam space of the meter, which may be used with a preferably pump-operated connection for the return water or not. I have shown steam inlet and outlet at 57, 58 at the same end of the heater and an intermediate header 62. The heater pipes are divided into two banks 63 and 64. I have preferred to place the header 62 within the meter for convenience in construction and to get the additional heating effect of water contact with it. The vent connection 60 is preferably free in one direction and closed against flow of, fluid from the meter to the heater by a check valve 65.

It will be evident that both forms of my invention provide for return of the water of condensation from the closed heater to the meter and for equalizing the pressures within the meter casing and the steam space of the heater, with alternative means by which both of these results may be accomplished.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character stated, a closed feed water heater having a steam space, a gravity water meter for the water to be heated and a connection between the steam space of the closed heater and the meter.

2. In a device of the character stated, a closed heater, a weir meter having its receiving chamber located at a higher level than the heater and a connection between the steam space of the heater and the meter.

3. In a device of the character stated, a weir meter, a closed feed water heater located within the catch basin space in the meter and a pressure equalizing connection between the steam space of the heater and the meter.

4. In a device of the character stated, a weir meter having a receiving chamber and a catch basin,-a closed feed water heater for the water metered located below the receiving chamber of the. meter, a connection between the steam space of the heater and the receiving chamber of the meter and a check valve in the connection.

5. In a device of the character stated, a gravity meter having receiving and storage compartments, a closed feed water heater below the level of the receiving compartment of the meter and a connection from the lower part of the steam space of the feed water heater to the receiving compartment of the meter adapted to convey water of condensation from the heater to the meter.

6. In a device of the character stated, a gravity meter having receiving and storage is M compartments, a closed feed water heater for the water metered located in one of the compartments of the meter and a connec tion between the lower part of the steam space of the closed heater and the meter.

7. In a device of the character stated, a gravity meter having receiving and storage compartments, a closed feed water heater for the Water metered, a connection between the lower part of the steam space of the heater and the receiving compartment of the meter and a steam trap in the connection.

8. In a device of the character stated, a gravity meter having receiving and storage compartments, a closed feed water heater in one of the compartments, a connection between the lower part of the steam space of the closed heater and the meter and a check valve in said connection preventing flow toward the heater.

9. In a device of the character stated, a gravity meter having receiving and storage compartments, a closed feed water heater within one of the compartments and a steam connection between the upper part of the steam space of the heater and the steam space of the meter.

10. In a device of the character stated, a gravity meter having receiving and storage compartments, a closed feed water heater within one of the compartments, a steam connection between the upper part of the steam space of the heater and the steam space of the meter and a check valve in the connection.

DAVID ROBERT YARNALL.

Vitnesses WM. STEELL JACKSON, J. LUTHERIA KAUFFMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. Q. 

